


Say You’ll Be My Prince

by NiallLovesLouis



Series: Fairytale Princes [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Fluff, I guess... for some people, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan & Moon Taeil Are Best Friends, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan Is The Sun, Lee Taeyong & Nakamoto Yuta Are Best Friends, M/M, POV Alternating, Please don´t take it too seriously, Prince Lee Taeyong, Prince Moon Taeil, Romantic Fluff, Slow Burn, Taeil wears a cute cape, almost non-existing angst, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:33:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22426381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NiallLovesLouis/pseuds/NiallLovesLouis
Summary: He remembered vividly being in the kitchen with Taeil, the head cook only paying them half mind while focusing on her own meal to serve, and the two would wonder how to make the cake the most unforgettable ever.Both children vowed to keep the tradition until they were old and grey, when they were living together in one shared castle, because what was the point in having two?It was an innocent promise, but hurt nonetheless both of the involved once it was broken.
Relationships: (mentioned) - Relationship, Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Suh Youngho | Johnny, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan & Moon Taeil, Lee Taeyong & Nakamoto Yuta, Lee Taeyong/Moon Taeil, Mark Lee/Na Jaemin
Series: Fairytale Princes [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1613911
Comments: 12
Kudos: 51





	Say You’ll Be My Prince

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CurlyKitten](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CurlyKitten/gifts).



> Oh look, I’m back!!!  
> Title is from Be My Baby, by The Ronettes (a personal favorite), and I changed Darling to Prince for obvious reasons  
> Ehe, another gift to CurlyKitten, but truly the whole story came from her! She gave me the prompt, and I brought it to life as nicely as I could! I’ve never written anything fantasy like, so yeah, a lot of things might be inaccurate XD anyway, I’ve had this baby in my drafts for a loooong time, this was seriously my therapy for a while there, and I actually liked how some of the parts ended up... so yeah, I’m sharing it with my fellow 2tae lovers, I really hope you like it <3

“You have a whole stable of horses.”

Taeyong turned his head in surprise, away from the window he had been staring at.

“What?”

Yuta closed the door behind him with familiarity, an eyebrow purposely raised. His red hair always had a different glow at the light of a sunset, and the dark, although elegant, clothes he insisted on wearing ever since he dyed his hair gave him a look way edgier than he actually was, but in a way connected to his personality. Beatiful and bold.

His cousin gracefully sat on the prince’s bed, nodding his head in the direction Taeyong had been looking at.

“You said you wanted to go, so pick a horse. You have a whole stable.”

Taeyong rolled his eyes, and rested his chin on his knees, face turned to the view again, and the imposing kingdom that rose miles away from the one he lived in.

His eyes fell on the distinct, almost minimal from this distance, white palace, definitely surrounded by endless troupes of armed guards.

“You’re crazy.”

“And you’re depressing me with your hopelessness.” Yuta was a person of action. He went after what he wanted, not wasting any time on things like hesitation or doubts. In hindsight, he was both a great and terrible influence on Taeyong, depending on the situation. Right now, he was just making the prince regret ever telling him about his plans. “Plus, you’re the one obsessed with going back.”

Countless memories of crossing those gates everyday, with the same familiarity he crossed his very own, flooded his memory. He grimaced, thinking of what would happen if he tried to cross them _today_.

He shook his head and stretched his legs, finally facing his cousin again. He would go back, one day, he just needed the right timing.

“You know there’s a chance I get rejected.”

Yuta snorted, while Taeyong absentmindedly traced patterns on the velvet seat he was in.

“I was wondering what your excuse of the day would be.” He raised an eyebrow, and his cousin sighed loudly, throwing a pillow at Taeyong’s head, barely missing the glass table with the expensive tea cups and teapot his mother gave him. The prince groaned, carefully placing Yuta’s weapon on his lap. “Yongie, you know I don’t like seeing you sad. It’s a contagious disease. So quit moping around and go visit your grown up ex.”

He didn’t have an answer to that, so naturally, he pouted.

“Or you could go get me ice cream.”

Yuta got up laughing, loud and bright, and the corners of his own lips twitched against his will.

The prince took the hand his cousin offered him and got up. They probably wouldn’t get any ice cream at all, because soon it’d be dinner time, but he let himself pretend he didn’t know that.

One last longing look at the window, and the door of his room slammed shut.

—————

_Rainy days were Taeyong’s favourite. There was no horse riding, which he usually loved, but it meant he could go to the other palace instead, play with his best friend._

_Their mothers would have tea, while him and Taeil would go wherever they wanted, to do whatever they felt like. From petting the string cats the Moon family had the habit of collecting, to starting an enormous mess on the kitchen from what was supposed to be a cake, they covered pretty much every possible activity. It didn’t really matter what they did, because they always had fun together, never once fought._

_For Taeyong, it was the purest friendship he could think of, the one between two young boys whose castles were neighbors._

_He remembered vividly being in the kitchen with Taeil, the head cook only paying them half mind while focusing on her own meal to serve, and the two would wonder how to make the cake the most unforgettable ever._

_“Do you think we should put the strawberries before it goes in the oven?”_

_“Won’t they roast?”_

_A giggle and a toothy smile from Taeil were always enough to know that it would be worth it._

_They called it their “Bake a Cake Club”, and it was as creative as two usually quiet children can get. Taeyong’s mother was particularly fond of their creations._

_Both children vowed to keep the tradition until they were old and grey, when they were living together in one shared castle, because what was the point in having two?_

_It was an innocent promise, but hurt nonetheless both of the involved once it was broken._

  
———

  
His mother’s room was easily the place he felt the safest in. From the soft colors she had picked for the walls and sheets, varying from cream to pink, to the dozens of pillows she liked to place in every seat available.

When he was little, he used to lie on the fluffy light pink carpet just in front of the bed until one of the maids grabbed him to go sit in a more appropriate place, where people didn’t directly step on.

His mother was reading a book by the window, on the armchair opposite to his, probably taking advantage of the rays of sunshine directly pointing at the room. A few hours later she’d have to move to the opposite wing of the castle if she wanted natural light.

He looked outside, at the beautiful gardens that surrounded their palace, where you could see the king, his respected father, mounted on his mighty horse and galloping into the distance.

“Where is he going?”

Her mother lifted her head, following Taeyong’s eyes to the troupe of horses crossing the gates, right on the king’s tails.

She turned her attention to her son, and then to the book again, speaking without much interest.

“Some business trip...”

“Not to the Moon’s?”

The words left his mouth without much thought, a rare occurrence for Taeyong. But lately he had been thinking a lot about that place.

The queen raised her head again, eyes widening slightly because that name hadn’t been pronounced in their household for a while now.

With the exception of Yuta, she was the only one who really knew how deeply he missed his old friend ever since the split. And even worse, the only one who witnessed firsthand the strain it caused in his relationship with his father, one that wouldn’t be fixed unless the older ever decided to befriend the Moon’s again, or in Yuta’s words “grow a pair”.

Her eyes softened, and Taeyong shrunk in his seat.

“Never to the Moon’s.” She sighed, and the young prince refused to look at her. Maybe by now he should have been resigned, because until the crown passed to someone else, none of the kings would give in. However, Taeyong wasn’t a conformist, especially when it came to those he loved. “Hey, why don’t you go for a walk with Yuta? The garden was trimmed just this morning.”

He nodded absentmindedly, eyes locked on the golden gate of his castle.

“Yes, maybe I will.”

————

“What the hell was I thinking? This is madness.”

Yuta rolled his eyes beside him, pushing him back to hide behind the tree.

“This is your chance.”

Taeyong looked again at the silver, intimidating gate standing a few feet beyond them, expanding itself in a huge defensive wall that kept any enemy from entering the Moon kingdom.

Two guards watched the entrance from outside, and probably more kept an eye on the inside. The only way to get in was with their permission.

He finally turned back to his cousin and the two horses standing nearby, who were neighing every so often and nearly causing Taeyong a heart attack.

“Do you think they’ll fall for it?”

“No. Hence the plan B.” His cousin adjusted Taeyong’s fancy clothes, tapping his jacket to remove the dust, giving him an encouraging smile. “Go, I have your back.”

He sighed nervously, walking right into the middle of the path before he lost his courage. It’s not like he was breaking the law, as of now.

His hands were shaking slightly once he reached the front of the gate, coming face to face with an older guard.

“May I help you, sir?”

The guard barely moved, his imposing stance making Taeyong want to shrink on himself a little. He also noted a certain disdain laced in the last word. Maybe the fancy clothes weren’t his best option.

“Yes, actually.” He took a hand kerchief from his pocket to dry the beads of sweat on his forehead, hoping it’d pass as tiredness from the trip. “I was trying to go to the Qian’s kingdom, but I must have taken the wrong path.”

The man eyed him suspiciously, before trading a look with the other guard, who had only moved his head in their direction ever since the prince arrived.

He noticed the older man getting closer to the pair, and tried to think of what Yuta had told him to say.

“I’m only looking for a place to rest for a little bit, and maybe eat something.”

The second guard scoffed not so subtly once Taeyong stopped talking, moving back to his original position by the other side of the gate, as if every day they had to deal with these sort of situations.

The first only eyed Taeyong with more attention, before asking, with a raised eyebrow.

“Where do you come from?”

The guard spoke without much interest, probably positive he’d unmask Taeyong right there.

“A village in the north, close to the border.” He realized his mistake once the guard eyed his luxurious clothes. “It’s big and- hm, modern, no king though.”

“Why do you want to get to Qian’s kingdom?”

He shrugged in fake simplicity, a nervous smile forming on his lips.

“I have family there.”

The guard scoffed and Taeyong almost couldn’t look him in the eyes.

“That’s an arduous trip for someone only supporting a bunch of expensive clothes.”

“I’ve been living off the sympathy of nearby kingdoms.”

He knew he had lost the battle when the guard assumed his original stance, completely disregarding Taeyong again. In fact, none of the guards looked at him for a while.

He turned his head to where Yuta should’ve been watching him, but there was no sign of the redhead. He exhaled deeply, before walking closer to the guard again, whose annoyance was slipping through his expression.

“Look, why don’t you just let me in... I’ll give you money.”

His soft, close to whispering tone highly contrasted with the booming voice the older man promptly used, capturing the other guard’s attention as well.

“Are you bribing me?”

The soldier had straightened, face hardening in offense, and Taeyong wanted the earth to swallow him whole.

He was ready to run, he would’ve, hadn’t a voice been heard among them.

“Hey!”

The two turned their heads, the guard in confusion, Taeyong in the way someone would look at their saving grace.

Yuta was approaching them in quick steps.

“Hi! Nakamoto Yuta, sir.” His extended hand was ignored, but his best friend remained unbothered as he spoke. “So, my friend here probably didn’t explain himself really well. We’re just looking to stay in your wonderful kingdom for a few hours, before we get back on our trip.”

It was truly one of the wonders of the world, to watch Yuta work all his charms on a stranger. Taeyong was convinced that with the right amount of time, his cousin could surely convince the whole troupe of guards he was actually the king of their kingdom.

The guard eyed him with the same disdain he looked at Taeyong.

“And like I was saying to your friend, we can’t allow the entrance of a stranger.”

Now he didn’t even grace Taeyong with that fact, but the prince stayed quiet.

“Of course! You’re clearly a loyal soldier. Allow me to offer you a reward, in respect to you.” Yuta reached for his pocket, taking a considerable amount of money from there, that he handed to the guard with a smile. “We were planning on stopping by whenever we needed shelter, but we’ll find somewhere else where the guards aren’t so incredibly loyal to their cause, and much less deserving of _daily_ rewards.”

Now Taeyong was sure his cousin had purposely sent him first just to further humiliate him with his manipulative skills. If he wasn’t so thankful and impressed, he would’ve called him out on it.

The guard seemed to read between the lines better than Taeyong, because he didn’t give them the time to turn around before the sound of dangling keys reached their ears.

“Well, I seem to have misunderstood your intentions. And who am I to deny shelter to two dashing young men like you?”

Yuta bowed in gratitude, Taeyong copied him, still in a mix of shock and reluctance, and the guard stuffed the money under his vest.

Two minutes later they were walking side by side with linked arms, inside the Moon kingdom, and Taeyong’s mouth didn’t seem to be able to close.

—————

He had never walked in between all the houses and markets in the kingdom. Whenever he came he was inside a carriage, and only got out once he was in the security of a castle again.

Now though, he could truly appreciate the beauty of the Moon’s territory. Every tree with shiny, mouth-watering fruit, every flowerbed colorful and trimmed. Whereas in Taeyong’s kingdom everything, from the houses to the markets, varied from an array of different, vibrant colors, each one trying to stand out more than the other, here the houses were all in soft cream, in a way that all the magic came from the nature that colored their surroundings.

Yuta guided him through the people, that became more and more as they got closer to the center, while the prince stayed in a trance, simply observing the movement around him, the busy men and women transporting goods to sell in the afternoon. They had arrived just after lunch.

His chest tightened, and he looked in awe at the castle standing closer and closer to them, bigger than it had seemed in years. Taeyong couldn’t believe he was in the Moon Kingdom again.

“Yongie?” His attention drifted to Yuta, who was pushing his hand for them to stop. They were in the middle of a small plaza, the center of all movement, direct view to the palace. A big Moon statue was decorating the center. “This is our rendezvous point, something happens, we come back here and wait for the other, got it?”

Taeyong could only smile, half in disbelief, and Yuta rolled his eyes, his own lips curving upwards.

“Taeyooong.”

“Yeah, yeah, got it.”

Taeyong laughed as Yuta hit his chest playfully, before pushing him to start walking again.

Although most people completely ignored them, a few still lingered not so subtly, to wonder who were the well dressed strangers. If they ever came back, they’d have to bring more discreet clothes.

————

“There’s no chance you want to look around for a bit longer, is there?”

Yuta gave him an unimpressed look, and Taeyong turned his eyes back and forth from his cousin to the giant golden gates standing a few steps away from them, also guarded by guards, this time too many to count.

The redhead rolled his eyes,

“And _this_ is our courageous prince, ladies and gentleman. Bow before his bravery. He’s unstoppable.”

Taeyong pushed him playfully, his cousin dissolving into dangerously loud laughs.

“Oh shut up, I’ve seen you scream because of a spider the size of an ant.”

Yuta straightened his body, his expression morphing into a much more dramatic one.

“It was the size of a horse Taeyong, and you know it.”

Of course that it wasn’t, but they had to continue that argument later.

“Just tell me what to say before I mess this up again.”

Yuta shook his head.

“Oh, you’re not going this time.” Taeyong’s face probably didn’t portray the relief he felt, because his cousin was quick to explain himself. “And not because you suck at this. Which you do, by the way.”

Taeyong crossed his arms.

“Your point?”

“They probably have your face on the unwanted list. You stay here.”

Taeyong bit his lip, but they both knew he wouldn’t be fighting the other on this decision.

Truly, the prince was just starting to feel guilty for dragging Yuta into so much potential trouble, even if it seemed like it was the other way around.

He grabbed the redhead’s hand and squeezed it, but all the latter did was laugh and call him dramatic. Taeyong could swear he saw fondness in his eyes.

He sighed deeply, watching as his friend retreated from the trees and into the spotlight, his heart on his sleeve.

No sounds could be heard from where he was, except from the wind and one or two sentences that came from the end of the village a few meters back. He had no way of knowing if Yuta was having any success.

“You’re not from here, are you?”

“Oh my god!” His heart nearly stopped at the sound of a soft voice coming from very close to him. The prince turned around with a hand on his chest, looking in shock at a young boy, who seemed about his age, standing right in front of him. “Jesus... You scared me.”

The boy laughed shyly, cheeks tinted with rose. He was also wearing a hooded cape that covered his body head to toe.

“I’m sorry...”

His small smile suggested he wasn’t that sorry. It was also slightly familiar.

“It’s... okay.” He gave a light chuckle. “No, I’m not really from here... And may I ask who are you?”

“I’m- My name’s Illie.” The unasked question lingered in the air, Taeyong’s gaze pretty obvious. While his excuse for unfitting clothes was justified giving his “visitor” status, the other’s outfit was still highly questionable. “Oh, right! I’m sort of... allergic to the sun. Have to wear a cape for the sake of my skin.”

Taeyong nodded. This boy was endearingly weird. He also decided to believe him, he didn’t have any reason not to right now.

“I’m... Lee.”

He inwardly facepalmed himself. Thank god Yuta wasn’t here to witness just how bad of a liar Taeyong was. Luckily, the boy- Illie- seemed pretty okay with it.

“Did you, by any chance, come with a redhead?”

His eyebrow rose immediately. He knew Yuta was such a bright soul he made friends wherever he went, but it was nearly impossible for anyone from the Lee Kingdom to have befriended someone from the Moon’s (post the cut ties, obviously.)

He crossed his arms, a little more wary.

“Yes... Why?”

“He’s running in our direction.”

He turned his head fast, eyes widening as he saw his cousin desperately trying to reach them.

“Move, move, move!”

He turned to Illie for some reason, maybe afraid he’d be an obstacle, but to his surprise, the boy looked at Yuta, before locking eyes with the prince.

“Holy moon.” The stranger closed his mouth and shook his head. “Follow me.”

He turned his head one last time, and already a line of soldiers could be seen trailing behind his cousin. Taeyong tried not to pass out, hands shaking as he waited for Yuta to reach them and started to run behind the stranger.

He noticed later, when he thought about it, how it didn’t even occur him to distrust the random boy he had met.

They were running in between trees, the forest getting so much denser he was afraid they’d run into the walls on the limits. However, Illie seemed to know his way, expertly avoiding every lower tree branch or slippery mud.

He looked behind him from time to time, his chest tightening whenever he verified there were still guards following them closely.

He was getting tired, the run seemed endless, the sun was too hot and the guards were too close. Taeyong wasn’t made for this kind of adrenaline.

“Hey! Where are we going?”

He shouted. A bad idea, his exhausted lungs could barely take it, and he wasn’t dignified with any type of answer.

They took a sharp turn, and suddenly a small trail that led to a house was seen. He quickened his steps, getting closer to Illie, ready to ask again.

He didn’t have the strength to, they passed the house without a spare look, and Taeyong was more confused than ever.

He looked behind him again, where the troupes weren’t visible anymore. Another bad move, seeing as he managed to trip on a covered branch.

He yelped, but didn’t reach the ground as Yuta roughly pushed his hand. They kept running.

“Stop looking back.”

His cousing was breathless, but still managed to warn him, just as Taeyong was turning his head again.

The soldiers were visible again.

Another turn, and suddenly they were close to the village. He almost screamed with joy when he saw houses and heard the clear noises of people haggling in the market.

His body found renewed power at the view, quickly penetrating in the crowd of people.

It became harder to not lose sight of Illie, and he found himself extending his hand for Yuta to take it. He couldn’t afford to lose him either.

They had already crossed a street when shiny armors started to part the crowd.

He swallowed a curse, and followed Illie through the houses he had taken them to.

It was somehow getting hotter, and Taeyong believed he would’ve truly passed out had it taken them five more minutes to get to a small house in the middle of many more that looked exactly alike.

Luckily, his body managed to push through, and the three of them entered the house, almost immediately falling the ground.

Heavy breaths were the only sound that was heard for a while, as all three boys tried to regain their energy.

“There.”

Illie was the first who managed to croak out a word, maybe for the sake of awkwardness. In Taeyong’s opinion, it wasn’t needed, none of them were thinking about anything except breathing.

A few more uneventful minutes went by, and finally the prince seemed to regain enough strength to look around.

It was a small house, very simply decorated, but nonetheless charming.

Aside from the walls that were painted a bright yellow, and the many vases with colorful flowers around the living room, the decorations were simply, and mainly in white.

Truthfully, it was such a cute, happy home, Taeyong felt himself smiling.

That is, until his eyes caught his cousin’s.

“What the hell did you tell them, Yuta?”

His cousin was sitting with his back resting against the white couch on the division. He went for an innocent look, but it didn’t work on the prince.

“Nothing.” A pointed look from Taeyong and amused from the stranger had Yuta shrugging. “But bribing didn’t work on them?”

Taeyong’s mouth opened, at a loss. He couldn’t exactly complain, it had worked once so Yuta hadn’t been completely foolish. Still, how could he have let it escalate to the point of being pursued?

A chuckle had him shut his mouth.

“So you wanted to get in?”

The question was directed at both of them, but Yuta’s eyes prompted him to be the one who answered.

He locked eyes with Illie.

“I have a friend that... works there.”

The other nodded in comprehension, and his lack of inquisition was both relieving and unnerving.

“Well, today’s a lost cause, wanna go for a walk?” He was pretty sure both cousins opened their mouths at the offer. Illie disappeared for a moment then, going into the adjacent room, head popping back a minute later, smiling gently. “With a cape?”

Yuta shook his head immediately.

“My face is way too unforgettable for me to risk being seen.” That made Illie a bit uneasy as he held another black cape in his arms, for some reason. “Is that an inconvenience?”

The stranger shook his head with a smile, before throwing the second cape into the room.

“No... I just, don’t live here alone.”

And whoever lived with him would probably be weirded out to find two random strangers in his living room.

He sat on the armchair next to the couch, looking at Taeyong until he did the same, pushing Yuta with him.

Illie suddenly got up, as if he remembered something, and searched his pockets, taking what looked like a letter and placing it on the small table by the entrance.

He sat back down and no one asked.

Taeyong was so tired he honestly didn’t feel like getting up ever again. He should have listened to Yuta when he told him to exercise more.

There was a loud sigh, and the two boys looked at the redhead.

“I guess the cape can cover me pretty well.”

Illie beamed.

————

“Are you visiting Donghyuck?”

“Yeah.”

Jaehyun gave him a predictable smile, handing him a piece of paper, and Taeil rolled his eyes.

“You know there’s a chance Johnny won’t be there.”

The prince stuffed the letter inside his pocket.

“You’ll search for him if he’s not.” Jaehyun was manipulative. When he used his cute dimples and not at all innocent smile to get Taeil to do what he wanted, he knew it’d work. For one, because the older was weak to anything that was cute, and two, because it involved Johnny, the prince’s best friend. “Tell Hyuck I said hi.”

He accepted the cape that the younger handed him without a word, only a smile, leaving the kitchen through the back door. Although he never became friends with Jaehyun for solo interests, it did came in handy that he was the son of the head chef on their kitchen. If Jaehyun was okay with Taeil escaping through their door, then no one would say anything about it.

As soon as he stepped outside, the light of the sun attacked his vision, making him furrow his brows as he walked. It was a sunny day, one that made the prince curse having to wear that heavy cape around him, already feeling beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

He turned to the lateral that led to the hidden door only staff was allowed to use. He also avoided to look at the back garden he had to pass everyday. There were too much memories there with Taeyong, and he wasn’t about to reminisce on them.

He sighed softly, finally reaching the door.

It was Friday, and he was leaving a bit later than usual today, which meant probably Hyuck had already left. His friend went to the market every two days, and always preferred to do so in the afternoon, when Johnny could go with him. Taeil would have to wait until they came back.

Or maybe he could go to the market himself, see if he could find him there, while also checking the products. Jaehyun was always thankful when he brought fresh fruit.

He was rummaging through his head for a decision when something caught his attention.

It was a man, boy maybe, he was too far to be clear. The expensive clothes adorning his body suggested he wasn’t from the village, and since Taeil knew everyone from the castle, he wasn’t from there either.

His curious self couldn’t help but watch, and smile as the boy (now he could see he was clearly young) walked back and forth sort of nervously, also sneaking a glance at probably the front gate every now and then.

The point of wearing a cape was to not draw attention to himself, specifically to hide his identity. However, the boy was clearly a _visitor_. With no idea of the face of the prince.

He adjusted the cape on his shoulders, before walking the last steps forward.

“You’re not from here are you?”

————

Taeil came to find out his two new friends were as charming as they came, both in their own way.

Yuta, as he came to learn, did justice to his daring hair colour. He put the three of them at ease with jokes and smiles, daring any stranger that passed by to assume he wasn’t from that land.

Lee was more discreet. First, he seemed a little on edge as they walked through people, but grew more confident as time passed and they remained unrecognized. He smiled a lot at Yuta, and something about it was familiar to Taeil.

“So, Illie...” The redhead’s voice was directed at him, and hadn’t he been attentive at the conversation he would’ve forgotten that was the name he went with when he was outside of the castle. “What were _you_ doing around the castle?”

He shrugged, almost mad at himself for not having thought of a reason beforehand.

Rays of sun illuminated Lee’s features as the latter inclined his head to the side, and Taeil noticed how pretty he was.

He shook those thoughts from his head.

“Oh... Truly, I just like to walk around there... they have beautiful gardens.” That seemed good enough for them, even if Yuta eyed him a bit more attentively. He smiled nervously, looking for a distraction. “Oh, you can’t miss that.”

They actually could, obviously, but Taeil didn’t have the time to think it through, nor did he usually did so.

He ran with his own plan though.

“Please tell me it’s not a game, I suck at it.”

Lee’s complaint contrasted with Yuta’s excited yelp, and the brunette felt himself smiling.

“No, it’s just food.” Lee’s face did light up at that. “The best from Moon’s Kingdom.”

Both visitor’s eyes widened comically, and Taeil waved them over with a smile, reaching for his wallet.

————

They were sitting on the sidewalk, eating the sweets Illie had bought them.

Like everything in the Moon Land, it was simple yet lovely. The creation was just a cookie, moon shaped, but with colors and expressions varying from yellow to pink, angry to sleepy.

Yuta and him were currently trying to atribute a cookie to each of them. Taeyong was telling him why he should get the pink winky one, and his cousin was having fun contradicting him, when a soft, almost childlike voice was heard.

“Illie?”

The shorter of the three turned his head, a fond smile immediately forming on his face as he greeted another boy.

“Hyuckie!”

The newcomer smiled brightly, going straight for a hug before even looking around. He was shorter than Illie, more tanned though, with a disheveled dark chocolate hair that was currently being ruffled.

He also wasn’t alone, because a tall, smiley man with black hair joined them. His eyes widened as soon as he saw Taeyong and his cousin.

“Are those cookies that I’m seeing?”

Illie eyed them both playfully, his arm resting with ease on the smaller boy’s shoulder as he turned to the two visitors.

“These are my friends, Donghyuck’s the cute one, Johnny’s the giant one.” The latter’s “I’m actually the cute one” was ignored, as Illie turned around and pointed to them instead. “This is Lee and Yuta! They’re... visitors of sorts.”

The boy under Illie’s arm beamed, hands clasping together.

“Have you showed them the new statue?” Instead of giving the older time to answer, Donghyuck turned his head to Taeyong and Yuta, lips forming a genuine smile. “It’s right in the center of the village! It’s a big moon!”

Johnny’s snort interrupted the younger’s speech and the visitors’ smiles.

“He’s making publicity of the statue ever since he went on a date there.”

Donghyuck pushed Johnny away and said a few more things directed at the older (something like “I told you a _million_ times, Jaemin’s in a relationship.”), but Taeyong stopped listening. His eyes found Illie instead, whose presence had called his attention from the start. The familiar way the other rolled his eyes and smiled fondly at his friends was both tightening his chest and warming his stomach. For no apparent reason.

He’d have to come back to talk to Taeil, and the thought of meeting his new friend again was much more exciting than he’d anticipated.

————

He opened the door slowly, expecting what was coming ever since he began the walk back.

“We’re home.” An excited yelp followed, his friend barely waiting for the door to close completely. “Spill the beans, Moon.”

Taeil smiled, shaking his head, as he watched Johnny close the door behind them. He had felt the weight of Donghyuck’s childly curious eyes the moment he saw the two strangers.

Behind them, Johnny snorted, going into the living room even though he probably had his own share of curiosity to satisfy.

“They were just a little lost and I helped them out.” He hung his cape by the door, the sudden fresh air finally letting his body breathe. He should probably get a lighter cape, now that he thought about it. “There’s a letter for you Johnny, by the way.”

He entered the living room, unsurprised to see his friend already supporting the piece of paper in his hands, close to his heart as if it was the most precious object on earth.

Donghyuck pushed his sleeve to gather his attention again.

“They were cute though.... both of them.”

“Don’t.”

He tried his best to shut down his friend’s shiny eyes, but both his friends were, at best, hopeless romantics. Both bold and confident, inspiring Taeil in more ways than one, but still capable of completely melting under the right words and gestures. Weak, was what the older always called them. All three of them knew the word was filled with love.

“Will you please be quiet, I’m reading a letter?”

“Yeah yeah, Jaehyun sends you letters, not a cliché at all, I’m still trying to have a conversation with Taeilie.”

Johnny’s utterly offended gasp would be the start of some petty fight, one Taeil decided to take advantage of.

“What do you even know about love letters? Aren’t you, like, three years old?”

Donghyuck snorted, but instead of getting closer to threaten Johnny, he hugged Taeil’s waist from behind, effectively stopping the elder from fleeing the scene.

“No, but I’m pretty sure it’s on that age people send love letters.”

The fight didn’t last longer, Donghyuck was still curious about the strangers and Johnny eager to read his letter, but Taeil still managed to settle down in the kitchen with a cup of tea a few minutes later, his younger friend with hot chocolate on the opposite side.

“You’d tell me if you had a crush on either of them right?”

Only Lee had really caught his attention, but that detail would remain unspoken.

“You’d know before I did.”

————

They had to pay both guards the following day.

Yuta had professionally handed them the money, as if he wasn’t as outraged as Taeyong by the older man’s greediness.

He didn’t say anything, offering instead his arm to Yuta, as they walked into the kingdom.

The colors were as soft as the day before, in a way that made everything around them brighter, full of light. For Taeyong, it was like walking into a sanctuary. He could never get tired of it.

They arrived at the exact same tree they hid behind the day before.

“Should I go in? They have no way of knowing who I am.”

Before Taeyong finished, Yuta was already shaking his head vehemently, sitting down against the tree with a sigh.

“No... we would need a back up story, and even then they’d probably recognize you as soon as we stepped foot inside.” He shuffled around until he was comfortable, looking up at Taeyong, who was raising his eyebrows. “You have your mother’s nose.”

The prince rolled his eyes, hesitating between sitting beside Yuta or not. He hated not having a plan. He insisted with his cousin to decide something before coming, but the redhead had always been a free spirit, and refused to play by Taeyong’s rules, which was rather unfortunate for the latter.

“Hey, hold your horse, prince.” Yuta’s amused smile brought him back to present. “We’ll just wait for someone to get in.”

He opened his mouth to protest, because even though Yuta tried to put it simply, it didn’t mean it was, by all means, simple.

“You here again?”

He thought he heard a guard, but when he turned his head his heart stopped for a different reason.

Illie stood in front of him, shy smile and black cape in place.

“We’re hoping we don’t have to run for our lives today.” Yuta said it with a smile that was automatically returned. His cousin had that effect on people. “We’re considering caving a hole and crawling through.”

Taeyong’s heart was strangely affected, considering how calm the two other boys were.

“Hm...” In spite of the humming sound, Illie’s lips were forming a smile, as if he wasn’t thinking at all. “I heard there will be a carriage of food around four.”

Yuta looked up at the sky, Taeyong’s eyes remained on Illie’s.

“We have at least three hours.” 

His cousin closed his eyes as he spoke, and Taeil giggled, the sound breezy.

“Have fun then, I’m going to buy my fresh bread.”

With a characteristic grace, Illie turned around, his cape accompanying the gesture as a loyal dog follows its owner.

That was actually a funny metaphor, he should tell it to Yuta later.

Taeyong was watching him leave, when a hand wrapped around his wrist.

“New mission. I’ll stay here, you go get the bread. I’m hungry.” 

Yuta’s eyes were serious, urgent even as he watched Illie getting further away from them.

Taeyong stared in shock.

“I cannot believe you sometimes.”

It took the prince a few seconds to process, and a literal push from Yuta, but he finally got up, rushing in the other’s direction.

“Illie!”

————

Illie was soft. He skipped around with happiness and agility, from tent to tent, looking at the fruit as he decided wich color he felt like eating.

He was also really sweet, buying an extra piece of anything he bought for himself, so that Taeyong could taste it too. 

“I thought you were buying bread?”

Illie thanked the smiling lady in front of him, taking again two extra pieces of fruit to share with Taeyong, a full bag he had also bought sitting in his sack. 

The fruit was familiar to him. It was blue, with small, slightly darker seeds and an unusual shape that unsurprisingly resembled a full moon. 

“We have to wait for the carriage! It makes a stop here first! ” He nodded, taking a reluctant bite out of the fruit Illie offered him, after the other’s insistent gaze. His eyes widened, then. He hadn’t tasted anything like that since he was a child and had been in the Moon castle, with Taeil. Tasting it today was like no time had passed, and still the sweetest fruit he’d ever tasted. So naturally fresh and comfortingly sugary. Nostalgia hit him hard. “The sweetest right? We call it-“

“Moon petals...” Illie eyed him surprisingly, and Taeyong got over his reminiscing to try and fix his slip. “They’re quite... globally known.”

“Is that so?”

Illie was wearing an amused smile though, hands holding his own moon petal. He seemed to be having a whole different conversation.

Taeyong started to walk again.

“Yeah yeah... We call them “mouth huggers” in my land.” 

His friend- could he really call him that? He would anyway- laughed brightly, pushing his cape further to cover his face after a few people eyed them.

“That’s silly, why would anyone say that when moon petals is so much prettier?”

They were Yuta’s words actually, though he didn’t obviously mention that, simply thanked the gods above he had managed to remember it. 

Illie’s smile was permanently etched on his face.

“Whoever invented it kind of has a point, my mouth is healed.” 

His cousin liked to say it was the only fruit capable of shutting him up for five minutes. Now that he thought about it, Taeyong should take some for him too.

“Illie!” They both turned their heads to find a young boy with pink hair skipping their way, smiling brightly. “Just in time for my morning snack! You have it?”

Illie smiled, moving the three of them away from the business of the market and to the nearest garden instead, under the shadow of a big tree.

The stranger was cute. He was wearing a loose white shirt that gave him that aura of delicacy typical in the kingdom. His fingers were gently attached to Illie’s wrist.

“As if I’d forget it.”

Illie reaches into the sack he carried to search for something. He proceeded to take out four moon petals and hands them to the kid, whose eyes get a million times shinier.

“It’s always good arranging deals with you.”

He hugged the fruit to his chest, and Taeyong melted a little.

“Don’t forget your part, mister.”

Illie said it with unconcealed fondness. Still, the kid’s eyes widened, and a smirk took over his lips, before he gently, as one would treat earth’s most precious jewel, placed the fruit in his own sack.

“Right, right...” he rummaged around carefully, before finally huffing in content and taking out what he had been looking for. “Here! These are new collection, and personalized! Only Mark has one already.”

To Taeyong’s surprise, he handed Illie a soft, delicate flower crown. 

Covered with varying tones of pink and blue, all pastel, and the smallest green leaves Taeyong had ever seen, it perfectly matched with Taeil’s hair. 

“You did that yourself?”

He couldn’t help but ask, hands urging to touch such a pretty object. Perhaps his greatest weakness, Yuta always said. Pretty things. The young boy turned to him in surprise, but not at all offended.

“Oh my moon! I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize you were with Illie!” His wide eyes were amusing to Taeyong, but the kid was already charmingly bowing in salute. “Na Jaemin, sir, here to make your day prettier.”

He winked at Taeyong, any shyness or prior discomfort gone. He liked Jaemin immediately. 

Illie put the flower crown over the cape, smiling brightly.

“Nana’s an artist.”

“Oh well, I just transform ordinary to extraordinary. Trash to flash. Sour to power.” Jaemin shrugged shamelessly. The Moon Kingdom had interesting characters. “I could make you one.”

“So you sell them?”

Jaemin raised an eyebrow, and went back to rummaging his bag, a bit more energetically now.

“Of course. I couldn’t keep all these fine creations all to myself.”

He took out a piece of tissue, handing it to Taeyong. It was pastel pink, with “Nana’s Flowers” sewed in an artistic way, a few loose petals decorating it.

“Any type of jewelry, rings, crowns, bracelets included, I handle it. The flowers are always a must.”

He smiled softly. That was such a sweet business. 

“Can I keep it?” 

“Naturally.”

“And do you have more flower crowns?”

Jaemin’s eyes looked at him up and down, another charming smile on his lips. He could definitely smell a client.

“With me, only two. I have more at home.”

His expression was serious business, but Taeyong, could see it in his eyes, the excitement of a child. 

“How much?”

Jaemin took them carefully out of his sack, holding them with pride.

One was in shades of pink and lilac, gracefully planted around the crown, and that Taeyong knew would look perfect on his blonde hair. The other was in all white petals, but still pretty nonetheless, and would go perfectly with Yuta’s red hair.

“5 Moonies each, they took me a long time to finish.”

Taeyong didn’t doubt it. He thought for a minute, before taking 20 out of his back pocket.

“I want two.” 

Jaemin eyed him in confusion, probably trying to figure out wether Taeyong had purposely handed him more money. 

“I don’t have change.”

He winked at Jaemin.

“Then keep it.”

The kid gave him the purest smile in return, quickly accepting the money, and handing the flower crowns to Taeyong in return.

“Illie, you should bring friends more often.”

Jaemin stuffed the money in his pockets, and Taeyong almost squealed when hi threw himself at him in a hug. The kid didn’t give him the time to respond though, quickly going to Illie instead, planting a kiss on his cheek.

“I’ll see you guys later!”

He smiled brightly one last time, before turning around and walking away in quick, happy steps towards wherever he came from.

He found himself looking at Illie, who had a soft smile on his lips.

“What?”

The shorter shook his head, before carefully taking the pink and lilac crown from Taeyong’s hands and placing it on the blonde’s head.

He tilted his head a bit, eyes assessing Taeyong, before his lips split into a smile again.

“You look pretty with it.”

————

“I might have done something bad.”

Johnny didn’t look up from his letter, Donghyuck limited himself to raising an eyebrow, sipping his hot chocolate. That kid didn’t lay back on that beverage, no wonder his face was as round as a child’s. Taeil loved it.

“That’s genetically impossible.”

He rolled his eyes at Hyuck’s words, placing his tea cup on the table. The three of them were in his and Donghyuck’s house, having a snack mid afternoon because he had bought extra fruit the day before, when he had been out with Lee.

“Jaehyun is such a romantic prince, I swear he’s the physical metaphor of love.” Johnny clutched the paper dramatically to his chest, and Hyuck pretended to pour his drink onto his letter. “Hey!”

The younger ignored him, turning to Taeil again.

“Is this about Lee and Yuta?”

Taeil nodded. He had told his friends about not trusting the two strangers enough to help them get in the castle yet, but, for some reason, he still felt like he wasn’t doing the right thing.

“I tricked them, yesterday... into missing the bread carriage.” 

He said the words quietly, ashamed.

They hadn’t been mad, nor suspicious, which was a relief. But still, having to blatantly lie and pretend the bread carriage would come at all was a little too sinful for Taeil. Even if Lee didn’t seem all that bothered and Yuta was more focused on the extra moon petals they had brought.

Hyuck raised an eyebrow. 

“So? You do what you have to do to protect your kingdom.” 

He shrugged, taking another sip from his chocolate. His friend, for all his softness and gigantic, cuddle-and-love-depending heart, could be the most outspoken person Taeil knew. Putting things in such a clear, simple way that the older wondered just when did his baby become so wise.

He played with his teaspoon absentmindedly.

“They just really seem like good people...”

Hyuck opened his mouth to talk, but was beat to it by their other friend.

“He compared our love to the birth of a little bird. He’s such a poet.” 

Johnny’s lip wobbled, completely unaware of the way Donghyuck almost pushed him out of the chair. 

“For the love of moon Johnny, you keep that going and I’ll carve a poem in your face.”

Johnny didn’t reply, nor tore his eyes away from the paper, and Taeil didn’t have it in him to chastise Donghyuck for the threat of violence.

“Then again, I don’t even know why they want to get in so bad!”

He crossed his arms and looked up at the ceiling. When had making decisions became so hard for him? He was a simple boy, with clear morals and no qualms in living by them. 

Why was this Lee making him question decisions he would otherwise consider more than sane?

Donghyuck sighed dramatically, finishing his drink and walking near Taeil, completely unaware of the chocolate mustache he was wearing. 

“Oh Taeilie, I knew eventually your royal worries would mess with our chillin’ and vibin’.” Half of the time, he swore he couldn’t understand Donghyuck’s sentences. He sat on Taeil’s lap, his finger coming to poke the older’s chest. He still couldn’t take him serious with all that chocolate on his face. “Don’t worry, I’m here to remind you that your only duty as an individual is to mock Johnny’s obsession with over the top romantic writing.”

“Jaehyun’s poems feed me better than oxygen.”

“Since when do you eat air?”

“Boys.”

He hugged Donghyuck closer, effectively stopping another petty fight, even if it always ended up in the other two cuddling. 

Donghyuck was right, in a way. He couldn’t take any risks when it came to _his_ kingdom. No matter how nice or harmless someone seemed. As soon as either of the two newcomers proved themselves worthy of Taeil’s trust, then he’d help them, gladly.

Until then, he’d have to let things go on for a little longer, without letting it affect him too much.

————

On the third day, Yuta didn’t join him. 

“And so I’m supposed to collect information on how to get in.” Illie hummed in understanding, his legs crossing as he reclined himself on the bench a bit further. Very few people passed by, the older having chosen a more quiet place for them to sit. “But I don’t even know how to do it with so many guards around...”

He shrugged, head falling backwards to relish in the heat of the sun. 

Truthfully, Yuta hadn’t come because it would be too suspicious for the two of them to disappear three days in a row. If his cousin was at the castle, he could easily lie for Taeyong in case it was needed.

“Where are you from?”

The question caught him off guard, strangely, considering he had known it would come. 

Illie turned his head, still supported by the bench, and looked at Taeyong. His black cape completely shadowed his features, but somehow his face still shone through.

“A secret.”

Illie hummed again.

“So, the Lee kingdom?”

He turned his head too fast to even consider denying the fact. If there was an award for the most obvious prince in all the land, Taeyong would win with distinction.

Illie was smiling though, soft, as if he had no problem whatsoever with wherever the other came from, and the giggle that left Taeyong was a genuine accident.

But it was okay, because soon after they both laughed brightly.

“I feel like that’s a forbidden name here.”

He was still smiling when he said it, although it faltered a little when Illie nodded.

“I still say it. It’s childish not to.”

The brunette said it with such confidence it reminded Taeyong of himself.

He had that conversation with his mother one too many times, and argued with his father about it too. Apart from him and his closest friends, everyone seemed to have banished all Moon-related words from their vocabulary. That bothered Taeyong to no end, yet there was nothing he could do about it.

Not without his own family to back him up.

“I have a question too.” Illie didn’t move, simply smiled. “Are you and Donghyuck brothers?”

The older seemed surprised at that particular question, but not offended. 

He frowned when a dark cloud suddenly blocked the sun warming them.

“Not by blood.”

“But in every other way...”

Taeyong completed, and Illie smiled brightly, maybe glad that he understood. 

No more questions were needed.

Illie took off the hood of his cape as a few more clouds gathered, and Taeyong felt himself smile. He could see him better now, the soft features of his friend.

“What’s on your mind?”

_You’re pretty._

“What do you think about this prince?”

Illie snorted, and turned his face profile again, eyes closing. 

“How would I know?” Fair enough. If Illie was as simple and humble as he appeared to be, it made sense he wasn’t up to date with any of the royal themes. Still, it was unfortunate, considering Taeyong just wanted to know at least a tiny piece of information. If he was fair, if he was kind, if he was healthy. If he was happy. “It’ll rain soon, we should go.”

It did. 

Taeyong arrived home sopping wet, had to endure a lecture from his mother and Doyoung, and also deal with an outraged Yuta because he didn’t collect any information, not one bit.

He tried and wondered, but couldn’t find it in himself to regret it.

————

Turns out, falling in love with Taeil was easier than trying to get inside the Moon Castle.

“I really have to get in... Somehow...”

Illie nodded, smiling softly as usual.

“Of course...” Taeyong stayed still, behind his usual hiding tree, six guards guarding the castle already in sight. There was just no way to possibly get in. Maybe Doyoung would be smart enough to plot something, but Taeyong couldn’t really think of any successful way to break through. “The moon petals are on sale for half the price today...”

He turned around. 

Illie was standing right in front of him, the wind blowing his cape gently, one of his delicate hands grabbing the hem of the fabric that flew across his chest.

Somehow, he must have seen it in the other’s eyes, that he had won the battle. 

Because no words were needed, Illie simply grabbed Taeyong’s wrist gently, guiding him out of there.

And the prince completely forgot what he had been doing there in the first place.

————

Seven. The number of times Lee had came to his Kingdom. 

“I love moon food.”

Lee said it around a mouthful of bread, a few crumbs falling into his plate, and Taeil smiled fondly at his blush. 

They were in his and Hyuck’s kitchen, sharing a drink and bread. 

In Lee’s case, it was hot chocolate. Taeil had offered him coffee, but quickly remembered the younger liked the sweetness better. Donghyuck was just like that too, which meant they always had the ingredients for that specific beverage. 

The younger had actually eaten some moon petals with Lee and Taeil earlier, and he seemed to get along with the latter’s new friend pretty well, which was a relief. He didn’t think he could approve of someone Hyuck didn’t.

The two were alone now though, because Donghyuck had left to go meet Jaemin and Mark.

“I should bake a cake someday. A Moon Petals cake.”

Lee seemed in awe at his own idea, and Taeil had a feeling the blonde would’ve have jotted that down had he brought a notebook with him.

The younger picked up the nearly empty paper box that enveloped the sweet, eyeing it with focus, maybe imagining its content in cake form.

His memory took him to more than a decade ago, when baking weird cakes was his most prized activity, which made sense considering he did it with his most prized friend.

He shook his head.

He really liked Lee. 

The way he laughed, the way he blushed, the way he didn’t seem to notice just how strong of a presence he had, that even in his silly moments the older payed him his full attention. The way he wormed himself into Taeil’s life without either of them noticing. 

Lee was, at best, the most effortlessly charming individual he had ever laid eyes on. He so easily fit into every scenario they encountered, it was beyond his comprehension.

Taeil couldn’t help but think, for some reason deep within his core, that Lee belonged _there_.

“What do you think about the division?”

His friend let go of the box.

Clearly there were a few words more forbidden on his side than the Moon’s. 

He seemed to remember he was with Taeil though, because he relaxed into his chair again, thinking.

After a moment, he shrugged, and worded his thoughts with a genuine, defeated smile.

“I think it sucks.”

Seven. The number of visits it took for Taeil to fall in love.

————

“You forgot? Again?” Yuta eyed him incredulously from the bed, legs crossed and hands gesticulating dramatically. “Is this a joke?”

Taeyong rolled his eyes from where he was reclining against his dresser.

“I mean it did occur to me, but then... I really love moon petals!”

His friend eyed him a bit more offendedly, his arms gripping the prince’s pillow tightly.

“You know what, I can totally support your new rebel-in-love side. But not bringing me any moon petals from your trip? That’s betrayal.”

He pouted from the bed, and Taeyong shook his head.

“I know I can’t keep doing this, I just-“

The door opened. 

He let out a breath of relief once Doyoung got in. The latter raised his eyebrow, though.

“Talking about Taeyong hanging with the enemy?”

His friend spoke nonchalantly, putting down on the bed the pile of clean clothes he had brought. 

“Yuta!”

While he didn’t appreciate the lack of secrecy from his cousin, he was in no way surprised, nor angry. Doyoung could be strict, and annoying, and petty, and a whole lot other insults Taeyong loved to throw his way. But he was also his best friend, aside from Yuta, and the only other one he really had considering he was confined to that castle. He trusted him with his life.

He also knew his friend thought as lowly of this division as he himself did.

Doyoung shooed him away from the furniture to place the clothes there, and Taeyong sat on the edge of the bed with a pout to his cousin.

“Don’t bother, anyone who pays attention to this castle noticed your absence.” Yuta smirked at the words. “Although Yuta did rat you out for an extra cookie.”

He took the closest pillow to him and threw it at his cousin. Doyoung was safe only because there were crystal candlesticks near him.

“None of you understand! It’s too hard to get in the castle, and Illie’s been a really good company!” He brought his knees to his chest then, voice quietening. “This division doesn’t make any sense, I’m sick of it... I missed the Moon Kingdom so much...”

Doyoung turned his head to look at him then, maybe to access if the prince was being genuine. That one was Taeyong’s own fault though, for frequently tricking the younger with fake pouts and exaggerated sad voices.

His cousin shuffled closer to rest his chin on Taeyong’s shoulder.

“It’s okay, you can keep going there for now Yongie! We got your back.”

By the end of the sentence, he had both arms gently wrapped around Taeyong’s frame.

Doyoung sighed the way he did when he had to be the portrayer of bad news. Which was quite frequent, considering him and Yuta were a little less on the rational side.

“Not really.” He spoke softly now, getting closer to them, one of Taeyong’s freshly washed nightgowns half folded in his hands. “Unless you want them to start sending men to follow you, which they’re fairly close to, you really have to stop going to another kingdom everyday.”

Doyoung could only be warm when he was completely off work, with no obligations whatsoever. Then he was caring, and cuddly, and the three of them had shared some of the best memories Taeyong had. 

His friend was on the clock now, and so he only gave the prince a sad smile, a gentle hand that he placed on the blonde’s head for a second, before getting back to folding.

Taeyong was properly mad.

He hated that reality. The fact that he had lost Taeil so many years ago, and now he would lose Illie too, because of the same reason. Because of some stubborn and petty fight between two supposedly grown men. 

Tears prickled at his eyes, but Taeyong, for all his irrational fears and inherited shyness, wasn’t one to back down.

“We’ll see if they stop me.”

  
————

  
“I want to meet the prince.” He had a conversation the day before, with Yuta and Doyoung. It took a lot of convincing from them, and introspection from himself, but he got to a resolution. He couldn’t keep the sneaking around, couldn’t endanger himself or even Illie like that. He had to meet Taeil, as soon as possible, then figure out how to fix their kingdoms, and thoroughly hope that he’d get to meet Illie again after. “He... Taeil is the reason I’m here. He’s the reason I’ve been coming.”

Illie seemed to be surprised. The wind threatened to blow the fabric covering his head, but he remained still. Then, just maybe, a hint of disappointment was visible in his eyes and audible in his voice.

“Ok...” 

He nodded at Taeyong, and a million thoughts seemed to run through his head. It was unexpected, Illie’s sudden apprehension, but he was probably worried about the implications of getting in the castle. He had witnessed firsthand what could happen if anything went wrong, after all.

They stood there for a minute, before Illie offered him a smile. 

“Good luck, Lee. It was nice meeting you.”

He turned to leave, as if Taeyong hadn’t just arrived, as if he hadn’t just asked him to go get fresh bread together before the prince had spoken. He reached out for him.

“Wait-“ He didn’t know for what, exactly. Illie didn’t owe him anything, and Taeyong couldn’t expect him to help. But Illie had also helped him before, when he hadn’t even asked. “I thought... Are you going to help me?”

He noticed he was still gripping the older’s wrist, and, maybe a bit to hastily, he dropped it.

Illie looked at him seriously. The sun was hitting his left cheek, and Taeyong wondered why he didn’t seem to notice.

“I don’t like the prince. I’m sorry, I just can’t help you...”

He didn’t seem that much sorry. In fact, for someone that had bought Taeyong moon petals every single time he had visited him, it was almost suspicious. He clearly had some sort of anger directed at the prince. The fact that Illie could possess any feeling other than softness and joy was honestly shocking.

“But you like me?”

“Of course.”

Illie said it automatically, too quickly, as if unable to stop himself. If Taeyong wasn’t so confused, he might’ve blushed.

They didn’t speak for a moment, until Taeyong couldn’t stop himself.

“Then why are you acting as if I have to choose between you and him?”

“I’m not.” Illie spoke defensively, in a reaction that was all too telling. He was definitely against Taeyong going. Something seemed to shift though, because the older sighed before walking closer. He looked around them, whispering as soon as he saw no one else was there. “There’s a back door. Wait until the sun is setting and then go through the gardens.”

He used Taeyong’s astonishment to turn around, starting to walk away and towards the path the two of them always crossed together.

There were no goodbyes, no thank you’s, no nothing. He walked away with light steps, and, still speechless, Taeyong felt his heart break a little.

  
————

  
Taeyong walked with uncertainty through gardens he had ran around countless times before.

His chest ached with each glance he took at trimmed bushes and delicate fountains.

Lee’s kingdom was, in his father’s words, prosperous. It changed, transformed and evolved. A corner wouldn’t remain the same for more than twelve months. And no house matched another. Everything was colorful and creative, and above all, personal. Because each person shaped it to their tastes.

Taeyong loved that freedom, he relished in putting his heart into all his creations, even if they were as simple as frosting on a cake. You could see a whole personality based on what a person surrounds themselves with. 

That sole characteristic was his favorite, regarding his kingdom.

Moon’s was the opposite. It was tradition. It was softness and love and simplicity. The nature was its magic, and even if the colors changed with the seasons, their humble houses would remain quiet and neat. The Moon Kingdom was stability. 

For Taeyong, the two belonged together.

He loved his kingdom with all the furor a prince owed his people. Yet, the Moon’s would always be his anchor, ever since a small boy with a bright smile took his hand and showed him how easy it was to make tea with natural leaves. 

He couldn’t imagine his life without it.

“Hey!”

Taeyong didn’t notice he had reached the back door Illie had told him about, and he wondered how hadn’t his heart stopped beating after that random shout.  


A young man walked out, and the prince instinctively backed up a little.

“Are you-“ He stopped in his tracks, and his eyes sized Taeyong as he seemed to realize something. A few silent seconds passed. “From here?”

The stranger raised an eyebrow, hands coming to rest on his hips.

“No...”

That definitely wouldn’t help his case, but no words seemed to come out of his mouth, and the creeped out look the other boy was giving him didn’t make him feel any more confident.

“Jaehyun!”

A voice from the inside called, and the name rang in Taeyong’s ears.

_Jaehyun..._

“I’ll be there in a minute, mom.”

The boy- Jaehyun- shouted back. 

Taeyong’s mind ran a million miles a second. He remembered Jaehyun. He remembered _a_ Jaehyun.

He walked closer, fast enough that the other gave a step back without it making a big difference.

“You’re Jaehyun?”

He narrowed his eyes at Taeyong, which was understandable because he might’ve looked a tiny bit like a lunatic, but nodded nonetheless.

“Oh wow.” He exhaled and moved closer, not wasting time on weighing his options and whispering instead. “I’m Taeyong.”

Immediately, Jaehyun stepped back and almost tripped on his own foot, then straightened up as if nothing had happened.

“You’re...”

His eyes widened, genuine surprise, and Taeyong felt relief that he didn’t sense any type of threat in his reaction.

Finally, a smile emerged from the younger’s features.

“Now that’s an unexpected visit.”

The boy smiled, and, like most things in Moon’s Kingdom, it was familiar to Taeyong.

Jaehyun assumed a much more relaxed stance.

“You...” He pointed at Taeyong with his index finger, shaking his head. “You used to put all kinds of weird ingredients in cakes... You and Taeil.”

He said it with both fondness and astonishment, and Taeyong’s eyes lit up at the memory as he nodded.

“Yes, we did-“

“My mom hated it.”

They surveyed each other for a moment.

The other seemed younger. He had a round face, accentuated dimples when he smiled, and was undoubtedly attractive. Taeyong didn’t really remember his name, but he did know him and Taeil started to hang out with him a lot in their last year together, getting along pretty well despite the small age difference then.

So long had passed...

Taeyong laughed. Out of shock, or maybe genuine happiness, and the other soon followed.

Jaehyun extended his hand, then cleaned it on his apron once he realized it was covered in flour.

“Nice to see you again, Taeyong.”

They shook hands, exchanged a few more sentences, and Jaehyun ends up taking him to another tower in the west wing of the castle.

He looks at a window that’s far off the ground, then in Taeyong’s eyes.

“Trust me, wait here.”

And so he did.

  
————

  
“Taeil!”

Jaehyun appeared in his room without knocking, as usual, this time with urgency in his tone, and a really hard time breathing.

“Downstairs, there’s a boy, he’s-“

“I know.”

He sighed.

He was sitting on his desk, quietly writing a letter to one of his foreign cousins, or trying to. There really was only one thing on his mind at the moment.

God, he liked Lee so much. Why did he have to be like anyone else? Like all the people that got close to him after realizing he’s the prince, with no regards to his true colors whatsoever. 

Lee had met the real, unfiltered Moon Taeil. Without any of the walls he had to build as _Prince Taeil_. And yet he still didn’t want the humble version of him. He still preferred the royal character.

“You know?”

Jaehyun seemed shocked, then unmistakably happy, as he closed the door and jumped in excitement.

“Isn’t it good?” Judging by the enormous smile on the cook’s lips, he probably thought Taeil and him were already together by now. “You know what, just let him up, and after all the fun happens, I’ll come here so you can tell me the details about the big meeting.”

He clapped his hands happily, going to Taeil and squishing his cheeks with a pint of too much enthusiasm. 

The prince didn’t have the heart to tell him nothing would come out of it. Instead, he let Jaehyun leave in happy skips, and burrowed his face in his hands right after.

Taeil might’ve not been able to deny Lee the help, but only because if he was going to end this, then he’d do it as the prince he was.

  
————

  
Taeyong was a good judge of character. He could spot evil in someone else’s eyes. And even if Doyoung hadn’t taught him and Yuta when to be wary of potencially dangerous strangers, he had seen Jaehyun before. There was no arguing with that.

Therefore, he would’ve noticed if this was a trap. 

Why send him to a remote location when it’d be easy to bring Taeyong inside, straight indo a guard’s arms? He was unharmed, after all.

Plus, he was also fairly sure Taeil wouldn’t let anything bad happen to him, and he was the prince, so he had the upper hand. Unless they captured him and didn’t tell Taeil anything. He quickly dove away from those thoughts.

Jaehyun was a friend.

What would Yuta do in his place, anyway? Probably stay. Surely stay, actually. He was reckless, even more so than Taeyong.

Something fell, right near his face, and he almost screeched in surprise. 

Jaehyun was a friend.

He composed himself, looking closer. 

A rope. 

He turned his head up, only to see it came straight from the window at the top.

God, he surely hoped they wouldn’t cut it in the middle of his climb so that he fell flat on his ass and maybe broke his spine. No, that was way too cruel for Moon people... He still climbed it deliberately quick.

“Uff...”

He exhaled tiredly once he got on top, sitting down against the wall, barely able to look around him because he’d clearly been slacking off on his exercises.

It took him a minute to finally do so.

The room was soft. Like the whole kingdom, actually, with walls in a baby blue tone, and little moons taped to the ceiling, the ones that shone in the dark. Taeyong remembered placing them there with Taeil, and a little help from the queen.

Someone turned around, then. 

A familiar face greeted him.

“Illie?” He didn’t answer, and Taeyong’s brain failed to process what was happening. He got up, eyebrows furrowed. “Do you like... Work here?”

He didn’t. He couldn’t. Looking past the prince clothes he was wearing, a white, impeccably ironed shirt matched with a blue vest covered in gold embodiments, that already pointed to fact he was in no way a maid, his friend seemed to belong there.

Illie, in Taeyong’s eyes, looked like a true prince.

The older sighed, not so fondly, which was unusual.

“ _I’m_ the prince, Lee...”

He gestured to his clothes, needlessly. He didn’t have to say anything. Didn’t have anything to prove, because Taeyong knew it in his heart, that he was telling the truth.

His head was having a harder time catching up.

“The...”

There was an easy chair by his side, and Taeyong barely noticed sitting down on it, breathless.

He didn’t know what to say. 

How could he not have noticed? After years of friendship in babies, and weeks of companionship in young adults. And no clue whatsoever that Illie and Taeil were the same.

Countless images of the prince flew around in his head, and Taeyong used his hands to cover his mouth.

“Oh... oh... oh my god... you’re the prince?!” He rubbed his eyes once, then twice, until his vision was covered in black spots for a second. “Of course you’re the prince!”

“You could try and hide the dismay.”

Taeil’s words didn’t quite register in his brain, and he suddenly got up.

“How did I not- What a sorry excuse of a prince you are! No, wait- Not you! Me! I’m-“ He took in Taeil’s bewildered face, oh god, he definitely worked badly under distress. He inhaled deeply and laughed, maybe a bit delirious. At least Yuta wasn’t here to make fun of him. Oh god- he couldn’t wait to tell Yuta- “I’m Taeyong.”

Illie- the prince- Taeil- opened his mouth.

Taeyong had the urge to run over and hug him tightly.

“I’m Lee Taeyong. Hi. I’ve been coming to another kingdom everyday to meet the prince, without knowing I was hanging out with him the whole time.” 

Tears prickled at his eyes, and he laughed again.

Taeil finally smiled, and a piece of his heart he didn’t know was missing was restored.

“Taeyong?”

Oh. How good did it feel to hear his name leave the older’s mouth. With so much softness, so genuine fondness...

He walked closer tentatively, but truly, with everything he had been through with Taeil, and knowing now that he was Illie too, he felt like no time had passed at all.

The words tumbled out of his mouth.

“This division sucks. It always has, and it always will, and I’ve had enough of it.” He took Taeil’s smaller hands in his and gripped them tightly. “I lost you once, fell in love with you twice, and waited over a decade to come to the realization that you and I are going to fix this, because we can.”

It slipped. That he fell in love with Taeil, it slipped. And yet he couldn’t regret it, not when he was so close to Taeil. 

_Taeil_. 

His Taeil.

None of them acknowledge it.

“We do.” Taeil smiled, and Taeyong did too. It was like falling in love all over again. The older’s hands fell to his hips. “We do.”

They looked into each other’s eyes, maybe reminiscing in all the bittersweet memories they shared. 

Taeyong wasn’t really thinking about anything anymore. He was in a trance, looking right at the person he had dreamed about for so long.

He was floating.

Taeil’s words grabbed him by the hand and pushed back down to planet earth.

”So... twice, uh?”

He looked at Taeil. Bright blue eyes and pink lips. Taeyong stepped even closer.

This was everything he had hoped for. After a decade of dreams and fantasying about this very moment, where him and Taeil would be together again, he could barely believe what was happening.

His shaking hands and rapid heartbeat were the only indications that he wasn’t dreaming. 

He cupped Taeil’s cheeks gently.

Their foreheads touched and their noses rubbed, before their lips finally met.

**Author's Note:**

> There!! Don’t worry, there is a sequel in the works!! I have no idea how long it’ll take for me to finish it (I’ve barely started XD) but I will definitely do it, and post it! Because I’m far from finished with this story!  
> Please do comment if you enjoyed it, I love getting feedback!! See you soon ☺️


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